Title: There is no end to this. I can't turn away.
Series: X-Men Evolution.
Rating: T.
Pairing: Scott/Rogue. Scott/Jean and Duncan/Jean implied.
Disclaimer: Own nothing.
Notes: This is based on a nightmare I had a few months back. Oddly enough I cut the nightmarish part. Honestly it may have been a daymare. I don't quite remember.
Summary: Scott has a terrible night at one of Duncan's parties. Logically it would follow that Rogue had a worse one.


"F%$#!" The expletive reverberated in the quiet, crisp turning chilly, late fall air. He was already a steaming pile of rage. This development? Well. It wasn't helping matters. "Where is my god damn car!"

"Calm down Scott." She was leaning against a streetlight about twenty or so feet from where Scott HAD parked the convertible. Now that he had finally shown up she was doing her best not to shiver.

"Where!" He started before getting cut off.

"Take it down a notch Summers." She warned as she crossed the distance between them. "Several notches."

"What do you mean take it down a notch? My Car- -"

"Got towed." She pointed to the 'no parking this side of the street October 15 – April 15' sign just over his shoulder. "Relax." She continued. "Ah know you've had a crappy night. But you need to stop screaming bloody murder." She narrowed her eyes. "It doesn't suit you."

"I don't care if it suits me." He was angry of course. Angry and according to some definitions he was also insane. What did he expect to happen at one of Duncan's parties?

"Look. You can have your existential meltdown once we get back to the mansion. Spew venom. Blow stuff up in the danger room. Sleep it off. Ah don't care." She grabbed him by the lapels. "But it's freezing out and Ah've been standing here waiting for you for an hour because Ah was certain that when you found out that your" She paused, pushed him away, and punctuated with air quotes. "'god damn car' was towed you might need a friend. "

"What do you- -"

She stopped him again, which was a good thing. He was about to say something really stupid.

"No. You are going to shut the hell up. We're not going down the 'saying hurtful things because we're angry' road." She turned and started the long walk back to the mansion. "Not that ah can blame you."

And she couldn't. Honestly she was just as angry. Maybe she was angrier. Also by some definitions she was insane. What did she expect to happen at one of Duncan's parties?

"But - -"

"Scott. Ah swear to god Ah will punch you in the face." She spat back at him.

He finally got the point, shut his mouth, and started following her. His 'angry face' was locked in place.

It killed her, just a little bit, when she turned back to make sure had gotten the point.


A mile later the slight shiver she had been fighting became much more obvious. Her coat, while completely badass, was much thinner than the forecast had called for. Then again she was planning on riding home with Risty, not walking home with Scott and his bullshit Jean PTSD.

"Here." He shrugged his own 'what LL Bean would call a barn coat' off of his shoulders and presented it.

"Ah'm fine." She crossed her arms tighter.

"Take it." He still hadn't cooled off enough to use more than monosyllabic words.

She just kept walking.

"Rogue." He caught up to her, grabbed her shoulder, and turned her around.

Finally ah have a name. She thought.

"Fine." She accepted the coat, sliding it on over her own. It looked significantly less badass. It was warmer at least. "Thanks."

"Sure." He replied. They continued walking, side by side now.

She scoffed. The 'welcome' in 'you're welcome' would have been two syllables. She had to admit he was sort of cute when he was angry.

"What?"

"Sorry. Ah don't know why ah thought that was funny. It's been a long night."

"Yeah."

This time it was an actual laugh.

"What?"

"Have you ever noticed that when you are angry you don't use words with more than one syllable?"

"No?"

Now? A full on giggle fit.

He was quiet for a time. His head was bobbing slightly.

"Not sure that laugh helps."

"Stop. Wait. That makes no sense. Were you just counting the syllables in your head? That doesn't count."

"Alright." He shrugged.

"Finally!" She was still laughing. He had that stupid way about him.

"I'm sorry." He was finally able to say. "I was a dick and you don't deserve that."

She gave him a long appraising look.

"It's a two way street." She said. "You're here for me. Ah'm here for you. That's the only way this works. Right?"

"Affirmative."

She shook her head and kept walking.


"feeling better?" She asked.

"Tremendously"

"Are you just screwing with me now?"

"Indubitably."

"Argh" She groaned in frustration.


Steps were taken. Hills climbed. Time passed.

"Didn't we decide not to go to any more of Duncan's parties?" He asked.

"Yeah. I specifically remember that conversation… And the one before that."

"And the one before that." He added. Helpfully? Perhaps?

"Yeah." She had to laugh again. "We make terrible decisions."

"Same thing every time..." He sighed deeply ushering in the reappearance of angry face. He slowed down and fell a few paces behind.

"As if the results would be different…" She noticed he had fallen off of her pace and looked back.

Which, some would say, is the definition of insanity.

Procession.

(asitiswhenitwas)
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